It has long been known that gum confections can be made with starch and, for many years, jelly bean centers and imitation fruit pieces, sometimes referred to as sugared jellies, have been made with ingredients including starch. These confections have a firm gel structure with all of the starch gelatinized and are typically manufactured by a starch mold casting process, referred to in the trade as the Mogul system.
In accordance with this standard system, the ingredients, including a thin boiling starch, or blends of thin boiling and high amylose starch, are cooked at a moisture above the final moisture of the confection, and deposited as a thin, hot liquid into a starch mold. The starch in the mold forms the candy pieces and serves to reduce the moisture content of the confection to the level of the end product. Typically, the cooked moisture is about 20-25 percent in commercial continuous pressure cooking systems, and the final moisture is about 14-18 percent.
The use of this type of starch mold casting process has many disadvantages, particularly since the deposited candy pieces and molding starch must be dried (24-72 hrs) to reach final product moisture content. It has been recognized as desirable to provide an in-line extrusion process for these gel confections, providing cooking and forming at the desired finished moisture content. However, such a process has not been commercially successful and most of the gel confections comprising jelly bean centers and imitation fruit pieces are presently being made by the starch mold casting process.
In order to get the desired gel structure, the starch has been cooked at temperatures above the boiling point of the ingredients, i.e., above about 138.degree. C., and with moisture present in excess of that in the end product to achieve full gelatinization and a transparent to translucent gel. It is possible to cook at lower temperatures, or with moisture starved conditions, with the result that the starch does not fully dissolve and the ungelatinized starch essentially functions as a filler, with the consequence that the confection does not have a desired body and/or texture. Thus, it has been recognized that high temperature heating, well above the boiling temperature of the mixed ingredients, is required. High temperature extrusion encounters problems with caramelization, air entrapment, and boiling and flash-off at the discharge orifice. Resultant textures range from that of hard candy to tough licorice consistency. High temperature extrusion has not been successfully practiced in providing the classic resilient gel structure, clarity, and flavor attributes of starch molded gel confections such as jelly bean centers and imitation fruit pieces.
Various processes have been proposed for the manufacture of gel confections by extrusion, but these processes have not been commercially successful in providing a firm gel with transparent to translucent appearance for jelly bean centers, imitation fruit pieces, and the like. These confections as indicated are, therefore, presently commercially manufactured by the starch mold casting process.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,508 to Wurzburg et al issued Aug. 9, 1966 discloses the manufacture of confections by extrusion of a confectionary product including an acid converted starch having a high fluidity, i.e., a fluidity above 20. By having such high fluidity, the starch does not provide a confection having the firm gel structure, when cooked below boiling temperature, necessary for jelly bean centers, imitation fruit pieces, and the like. Furthermore, at temperatures below the boiling point of the mixed ingredients, converted starches do not fully gelatinize to provide transparent to translucent gels. In short, these converted starches are not effective in providing the gel structures necessary for jelly bean centers, imitation fruit pieces and the like in an extrusion process. When the lower temperatures disclosed in the patent are used, the converted starch essentially functions as a filler and does not provide the desired gel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,509 to Wurzburg et al issued Aug. 9, 1966 is also directed to the manufacture of confections by extrusion, utilizing starches which contain at least 50 percent amylose. These high amylose starches require high temperatures to gelatinize the starches and specifically, they need temperatures above the boiling temperatures of the mixed ingredients to achieve the clear firm gels desired. At lower temperatures, the high amylose starches are not adequately gelatinized and largely function as fillers in the confections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,510 to Wurzburg et al issued Aug. 9, 1966 also discloses the manufacture of confections by extrusion from essentially native starch. Such starch has a fluidity of less than 20 but requires temperatures in the range of 160.degree. C. to 188.degree. C., which are well above the boiling temperature of the mixed ingredients for the confections, to achieve gelatinization and provide firm transparent to translucent gel confections. Accordingly, the use of these native starches to provide the desired gel structures for jelly bean centers, imitation fruit pieces, and the like, do not result in successful extrusion commercially at the end moisture contents of the gel confections and give transparent to translucent gels having a firm gel structure.
It is desirable to avoid the molded starch method and to provide jelly bean centers, imitation fruit pieces, and the like, by an extrusion process. Successful extrusion of these confections is highly advantageous to the confection industry. The production speed for manufacture of confections can be increased greatly if an acceptable extrusion process was available. Confections made by this invention can be made in 30 minutes to 24 hours as compared to 24 to 48 hours for the traditional processes. Additionally, there are fewer mechanical problems, such as jammed molds, with an extrusion process.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide extruded gel confections which include starch and which provide transparent to translucent gels and which develop a firm gel structure when processed at temperatures below the boiling point of the mixed ingredients. It is a more particular object of the invention to provide an improved method for extruding gel confections, including starch, to provide firm gels at temperatures below the boiling point of the mixed ingredients. A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved extrusion process for the manufacture of jelly bean centers, imitation fruit pieces, and the like, by an extrusion method.
Throughout the specification and claims, percentages and ratios are by weight, temperatures are degrees Celsius, and pressures are in atmospheres over ambient unless otherwise indicated. To the extent that any of the foregoing references are applicable to the present invention, they are herein incorporated by reference.